Black and Latinx students have long suffered harsher disciplinary actions in schools than their white peers, fueling the school-to-prison pipeline. Many schools are taking steps to curtail these well-documented disparities by moving away from punitive discipline policies in favor of restorative justice practices. Restorative practices shift a school’s response to conflict from punishment and suspensions to an inclusive model of repairing harm and healing. This practice has proven to reduce suspensions, reduce disproportionality among marginalized student populations and increase student leadership and ownership of their school’s culture. See the resources below for organizations that support school communities doing this work.
Restorative Justice
June 2020
ORGANIZATION
Alliance for Quality Education (AQE)
AQE is a statewide non-profit coalition of parents, children’s advocates, schools, teachers, clergy, and others working to end the systemic racism and economic oppression that prevent children in New York State from quality education. AQE combines legislative and policy expertise with grassroots organizing to create public demand for high quality education for all students regardless of zip code.
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Brooklyn Movement Center
Brooklyn Movement Center (BMC) is a Black-led membership-based organization of primarily low-to-moderate income Central Brooklyn residents. They build power and pursue self-determination in Bedford-Stuyvesant & Crown Heights by nurturing local leadership, waging campaigns and winning concrete improvements in people’s lives. Through its intersectional organizing, BMC centers a full range of issues and Black identity that define a whole community.
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Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility
The Morningside Center partners with school and district leaders to build community, strengthen students’ social and emotional skills and increase equity through courageous conversations about race through coaching and providing classroom resources.
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Black Lives Matter at Schools
Black Lives Matter at Schools is a national coalition organizing for racial justice in education. They hold a yearly Week of Action for students, educators, families, unions and community organizations during the first week of February each year.
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Dignity in Schools
The Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC) challenges the systemic problem of pushout in our nation’s schools and works to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline.
ORGANIZATION
Roots ConnectED
Roots ConnectED provides training and support to educators seeking to build community and connection across lines of difference in order to create intentionally integrated and inclusive schools through the development of community building and critical thinking skills. Roots ConnectED also offers family workshops in addition to coaching, educational institutes and educator workshops.
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